1. Field
Exemplary embodiments relate to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatuses, and more particularly, to an MRI apparatus which is capable of displaying an image within a bore of the MRI apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatuses are imaging apparatuses which are used for performing a medical diagnosis and that visualize the cross-sections of internal structures of a human body. An MRI apparatus includes a main magnet which is used to apply a strong magnetic field to a human body, a gradient coil which is used to apply a gradient magnetic field in order to provide location information of a magnetic field, and a radio frequency (RF) coil which is used to apply electromagnetic waves to a human body so that a magnetization vector resonates within the human body and to receive a magnetic resonance signal from the human body. The main magnet, the gradient coil, and the RF coil used for performing an MRI scanning are accommodated in a housing, which is a cylindrically shaped structure which has a bore in which an inspection target lies.
However, during an MRI scanning, because the bore of an MRI apparatus where an inspection target lies is a relatively narrow and enclosed space, the inspection target is highly likely to feel bored and thus move during a long scan. When an inspection target moves frequently, an image which is obtained via an MRI scan may have a low quality, and thus content for reducing the boredom of the inspection target during scanning needs to be provided. To this end, a virtualization system that provides video data to an inspection target during an MRI scan has been proposed. As an example of the virtualization system, there has been proposed a method for providing video data to an inspection target by allowing the inspection target to wear glasses on which an image is displayed, or by allowing the inspection target to see an image which is displayed outside the housing via a mirror installed within the bore. However, the glasses-wearing method may cause inconvenience to an inspection target due to the closeness of glasses on which an image is displayed, and the mirror-using method may degrade the quality of an image.